Be the first to know.

“It’s good enough being named after him, but having the same birthday, that’s incredible,” said Josey, an eighth-grader at Mesquite Terry Middle School. “It’s something that you can only dream of.”

It’s good enough being named after him, but having the same birthday, that’s incredible. It’s something that you can only dream of.

Eighth-grader, and Dirk Nowitzki fan, Dirk Josey

Josey’s mother, Mandy Josey, said initially her son wasn’t slated to be named after Nowitzki.

“We were going to name him a different name, but then I got mad at my husband and I said, ‘I’m surprised you’re just not going to name this kid Dirk,’” Mandy Josey said. “And then he said, ‘Well, I never thought about it.’

“So that’s how it came, so we named him Dirk because my husband is a major Dirk fan.”

Although the Joseys are Mavericks fans, Mandy Josey never realized the stars would align to the point where her son and Nowitzki would have so much in common.

It was a major surprise. My first thoughts were this is the craziest thing that’s ever happened, the craziest thing I could ever think of.

Mandy Josey on her son and Dirk Nowitzki sharing the same birthday

“My Dirk was born five weeks early,” Mandy Josey said. “But I didn’t know until he was 6 months old that they had the same birthday.”

And what was her reaction when she discovered the coincidence?

“It was a major surprise,” Mandy Josey said. “My first thoughts were this is the craziest thing that’s ever happened, the craziest thing I could ever think of.”

Nowitzki took photos with Dirk Josey, and then voluntarily asked him if he wanted his autograph, and patiently signed a few items.